(1) The rules don?óÔé¼Ôäót prevent double-decking as the diffuser is defined in the articles labelled ?óÔé¼?£bodywork facing the ground?óÔé¼Ôäó – the upper tier does not face the ground.

(2) The reference plan and step are not treated as a single continuous surface so holes can be carved in the step transition to feed more air to the diffuser.

(3) A longer, higher central section that integrates with the rear crash structure is allowed – Toyota exploits this (think of this as a narrower version of the central section allowed last year).

The prevailing view in the paddock is that the FIA will not outlaw the double-diffuser, at least not this season. Expect 75% of teams to be running them when the F1 circus lands in Europe.

See the links below for more on the technical side of the discussion. But as ever in F1 the implications of today’s decision could go far beyond the technical…

The political decision

Anyone who remembers the Ferrari barge board controversy of 1999 knows that technical accuracy means little next to what the governing body thinks is in the best interest of the sport. On that occasion, allowing the championship battle to continue into the final race of the season was viewed as being more important than punishing a team whose interpretation of the rules was, at best, questionable.

The situation is complicated in that the FIA originally said the diffuser designs were legal. When the cars were scrutineered at Melbourne they were passed as legal, and now several teams have protested against that decision.

Here’s some of the poits of view on the debate the FIA may take into consideration:

“Brawn GP have benefitted from the diffusers more than anyone, and as they represent the FIA’s vision of future, inexpensive F1 teams, they will get an easy time from the stewards.” I’m not really convinced by this argument as Toyota – F1’s most profligate team in recent years – have the same technology.

“Because of the diffusers, F1 cars in 2009 are faster than the FIA intends them to be, so they will ban them.” I think this argument has some merit but the way Flavio Briatore put it forward smacked of sour grapes.

“The designers have gone against past precedent in their interpretation of the rules.” This was a view put forward by Ferrari’s Rory Byrne, but what confuses me is that if it was this simple, I don’t see why the FIA wouldn’t have passed the diffusers as legal in the first place (of course, this link of thinking can be used against many other arguments). Besides which, recent rulings have shown past precedent carries very little weight in FIA appeal hearings.

“The FIA will not re-distribute points from past races because it would further tarnish the sport’s reputation.” If they have an ounce of sense, they’ll leave the results of the first two races alone.

My instincts tell me the diffusers will be passed as legal.

Although technical reasons will be put forward by the FIA as the justification for their legality, this will be a decision taken more out of political pragmatism.

In short, the FIA can pick whichever decisions suits them best and then find a technical means of supporting it.

The FIA has recently proposed F1 has two sets of technical regulations next year in order to make its budget caps proposal work. It can’t very well do that and then hold hearings where it contradicts previous decisions made by itself and its stewards, which undermine the results of the first two races of the championship. It has to demonstrate its competence.

Do you think the diffuser appeal will succeed or fail? Vote above and leave a comment below.

149 comments on FIA to rule on legality of Brawn, Williams and Toyota diffusers (Poll)

“Speed is part of the essential attraction of Formula 1. But containing the ever-escalating cornering speeds of F1 cars has been a major goal of the FIA for safety reasons.”

I do agree. By now the speed is somehow better than las year. By the end of the season will be much higher than that one. With this floor-effect in the cars if one of them gets bumpped a few cms from the ground then the car will became a rocket and fly away to who knows where. it is too dangerous for the sport. As simple as that.

I don’t think this so called floor effect is anything like Ground Effects we had in the 80’s.

Doesn’t the DDD just reduce drag, by reducing the turbulence when the air from the wing meets the air from under the diffuser? The DDD significant reduces air speed exiting the bottom of the car, how exactly is this floor effect?

I don’t think the cars will fly off the ground like a rocket like we saw in 80’s, particularly a certain number 27 Ferrari.

How can coming up with a design that is obviously (comfirmed by most of the teams as within the letter of the rules, the FIA, and now the ICA) within the rules be called cheating!?!

In more Ross offered to clean up the rules and they weren’t interested …probably because each had thought they had stolen a march (by your definition: cheating) on the others in some way… which in my view puts Brawn on a pedestal above the others as he obviously saw where he could gain and offered to close the loopholes.

McLaren, by definition, and in more than one case, has been proven to be a bunch of cheating scum bags! I say throw them out on the 29th!

ps. I should also say that I used to love McLaren, especially during the Senna and Hakkinnen/Coulthard days… but having done a lot of reading of reports, and listening to all their press conferences, reading opinion and interpreting between the lines… I have come to the conclusion they don’t, and never should had, have my support.

sorry to get ahead here, but it has just come out that the diffusers on the three contested teams were deemed legal. my vote was right so were those of 1727 other readers.

hopefully with this matter cleared up we can watch a race without if’s and buts on sunday.

cant wait for the Mc Laren hearing in a few weeks time to get that issue over and done with as well. because we got some nice racing on our hands so far this year. and it would be very interesting to see which team will be the first to join the diffuser gang, ironically it might Flavio’s….